#fairer-than-a-fairy

[princess-ibri]

Would Fairer than a Fairy exist in your Disneyverse?

Which one? The one with the Rapunzely situation and the Rainbow Prince or the Princess Team Up one?

Either could be fun to use at some point though!

[adarkrainbow]

Usually when I click on one of those "dark fairytale" videos I DO NOT expect to hear about one of the literary fairytales of France - and yet here we are! What a surprise it was to discover one right in this video.

Mind you, it makes sense why this story would be known by English speakers, as it is present in Andrew Lang's Yellow Fairy Book under the title "Fairer-than-a-Fairy". However do not make any mistake, this fairytale is part of the "century of fairytales" of France - it is a literary fairytale called "Le Prince Arc-en-Ciel", The Rainbow Prince. Now when you check the English Wikipedia you'll see the fairytale is attributed to the Chevalier de Mailly, which would make it one of the "first generation French literary fairytales". But... this is a mistake?

Actually The Rainbow Prince/Fairer-than-a-Fairy is an anonymous fairytale, whose author hasn't been clearly identified yet. It appears in several compilations and collections of literary fairytales in the 18th century - and was preserved in Le Cabinet des Fées - but no author was recorded. Its first apparition was in 1718, which would place it into the "second generation" literary fairytales of France, and by 1718 to my knowledge Mailly wasn't writing fairytales anymore... But at the same time it makes sense he would be assumed to be the author of this fairytale as - like the video points out - there are strong parallels to the Vestals of Ancient Rome AND de Mailly actually wrote a treaty about the life, cult and customs of the Vestals in 1701.

Something not talked about in the video is also the tie of the wicked fairy, "Lagrée", to the Graeae of Ancient Greece, the one-eyed one-toothed hags Perseus has to deal with. It isn't just a tie through the "one eye one tooth and old hag" visual, but also with the fairy's very name. "Lagrée" is actually "La Grée", "The Graeae", because in French the Graeae are called Les Grées. So she is a HUGE reference to the Greek myth.

[draculas-curse]

Meta Knight loves to fight.

If there is one thing that he cannot go without, could never go without, then it is the rush of combat. The adrenaline that pours through him like a tidal wave, the fervour with which he swings his blade, it is everything; his crew, his Halberd, his duty and his homeland, in truth they all pale in importance next to the thrill of a relentless battle frenzy.

This is something that, even through shining glass, through beams of refracted light, through the crystal clear reflection of a gold-trimmed and glittering mirror, is left unfiltered. Dark Meta Knight loves to fight, because Meta Knight loves to fight. He knows this and he can accept this. It is sensible. A reflection must be accurate to the original visage, no? And if not in appearance, scarred and battered instead of immaculate and glowing, then at least in spirit there should be a perfect core that remains.

Dark Meta Knight likes to draw.

He sits in the sunlight, bathing in the warmth of his armour, surrounded by tentative allies sent for by the stars, and clutches a crayon in one fist. His dexterity is not quite as incredible with an implement of the arts as it is with an implement of violence. This does not matter, because when he scrawls across the paper, with too-tight grip and too-harsh force, the wonky lines he manages do not garner him any jeering. Instead, the fairy oohs and aahs over how passionately he's recreated his sword, and politely, the little artist advises him on how to put less strain on both himself and the crayon the next time he tries. Dark Meta Knight does not mind imperfections, really.

Meta Knight does not like to draw. He avoids picking up a pen or pencil whenever possible, and when he is forced to, he makes the experience quick. If Dark Meta Knight is so bold as to assume why, and he is, this is because Meta Knight is not good at drawing. Of course, neither is he. Not by a professional metric. Flawless swordsmen, but terrible illustrators. The reflection is accurate once again. However, Meta Knight cannot bear imperfections. He is always on a quest of improvement, and avoids that which he is not undefeated in. If his armour breaks, is marked, if he loses a chip off his pauldron or mask, he repairs it with the utmost haste.

Perhaps a reflection is similar, but not exact. Sometimes the mirror is smudged, or cracked. Sometimes it reflects backwards or sideways. Sometimes water will ripple across the clear lake. Dark Meta Knight can and has defeated Meta Knight. If he were truly a complete, perfect reflection, they would be too evenly matched for a victor. There are a million little other flaws. Meta Knight likes the idea of fairness, Dark Meta Knight doesn't bother with it. Meta Knight is perhaps slightly more upstanding than he, less inclined to villainy; though only slightly, Dark Meta Knight thinks, remembering through a cloudy lens how the Halberd once sank into the orange sea. In the end, the dark knight couldn't care much less. He is glad when the next time he sketches out the image of his weapon, the edges are a little more clean.

Meta Knight probably wishes for a true, unfiltered reflection, with no idiosyncrasies of its own. Dark Meta Knight doesn't see why he should seethe over minor details that get lost where the light misses crevices in the glass. Then again, he might just be spiteful because Dark Meta Knight trapped him in the shards of that very same mirror to see what it would be like on the other side of it. That would be a bit fairer, and Meta Knight likes to be fair.

But Meta Knight really, really loves to fight, more than anything else.

Dark Meta Knight puts the crayon down for now, nods when his fellows wave him goodbye, and turns to meet the yellow gaze burning holes into his back, brandishing his silver sword. Dark Meta Knight also really, really loves to fight, more than he likes to draw.

For the record, even if he won't go mad over it, Dark Meta Knight also still very much likes to win.

[jackoshadows]

How is Jon Snow ‘idealistic’?

He’s one of the most pragmatic Starks in the books, which is something considering he is only 14/15 when the story starts. There’s a reason Maester Luwin tells Jon that ‘bastards grow up faster than other children’.

It’s Jon Snow who stays up at night worrying over his future and not any of the responsible adults, because he knows the realities of being a bastard. It’s Jon who makes the hard decision to go to the Wall because he has no place at Winterfell, not Ned or Benjen. Ned refuses to deal with this until Catelyn forces his hand.

 It’s Jon who explains the unfair rules to Arya about the difference between Robb and Bran practicing in the courtyard with the prince while Jon sits it out. It’s Jon who reassures Arya when she goes to him afraid that she too is a bastard. It’s Jon who leaves his name out so that the other Stark kids can get a direwolf.

Yes, Jon does not know how much the Night’s Watch has fallen as an institution in terms of it’s members now being outlaws, rapists and murderers. That’s because no one tells him the truth and not because he believes in songs and fairy tales. Benjen only tells him that it’s a hard, tough life with life long celibacy and not about it’s current status as a penal colony.

That’s why Jon ends up appreciating Tyrion Lannister as a friend, because Tyrion is the only person who does tell Jon the truth. That’s why Jon is hurt, that his own father send him to the Wall without telling him what the Wall has now become and then giving him a choice.

[Note: In fairness to Ned and Benjen, they both probably still think it a great honor to be a brother of the Night’s Watch. Like all the Starks before them they hold the Night’s Watch up as this important historical institution that has to be honored and then fail to actually support it in terms of funding and manpower]

Jon not recognizing that his fellow peers don’t have his education at the start of AGoT? That’s not idealism. That’s him not recognizing his privilege. At Winterfell he’s the bastard compared to his Stark siblings, always judged as less than them by nature of his birth. It’s only once he gets to the Wall that he realizes, with Donal Noye’s help, he has had it better than the other new recruits.

Jon wanting to be a ranger? That’s ambition, that’s self-confidence. Notice how after Sam Tarly explains that being a steward intern meant being groomed for leadership, Jon is immediately accepting of the decision.

Jon being angry and bitter at the unfairness of his world is not idealistic. Being angry about inequality and only being able to imagine a fairer world in dreams is the opposite of idealistic.

Jon’s not trying to end world hunger or trying to legitimize all bastards or set about righting all the wrongs of Westeros. He’s trying to do the best he can at world’s end on a little patch of land called the Night’s Watch for his fellow crows and freefolk there.

When Jon sends out the paper shields to the Crown in KL, he is angry and cynical and knows they will not send him any help. He is cynical about goodness and integrity which is clear from his interactions with his deputies at the Wall.

If anything, Jon Snow is ruthlessly pragmatic. Whether it’s taking child hostages, or telling the Freefolk that they will only get more food if they work for it or hiring spearwives to defend an entire castle or taking on Satin as his steward because he is good at it or using Wun Wun to rebuild or doing actual science experiments, all his decisions are immensely practical - which is why 99% of his policies keeps clashing with the outdated dogma of the likes of Bowen Marsh and Septon Cellador. 

‘You Know Nothing’ is a play on Socrates ‘I know that I know nothing’, an acknowledgement that he has yet to learn a lot despite being Lord Commander. The people he holds in high esteem are the likes of Donal Noye, Maester Aemon, Qhorin Halfhand and Samwell Tarly. 

It is true that all the Stark children growing up in the relative safety and comfort of home and family have lofty ideals as children. That’s the innocence of children. And then they grow up. This quote encapsulates that:

When Jon had been a boy at Winterfell, his hero had been the Young Dragon, the boy king who had conquered Dorne at the age of fourteen. Despite his bastard birth, or perhaps because of it, Jon Snow had dreamed of leading men to glory just as King Daeron had, of growing up to be a conqueror. Now he was a man grown and the Wall was his, yet all he had were doubts. He could not even seem to conquer those. - Jon, ADwD

Jon Snow is keenly aware of how hard his job is in terms of actually being able to help people. Idealistic is not a word I would use to describe him.

[nfcomics]

DEJAH THORIS: FAIRY TALES no.1 • cover art • John Vasquez [Aug 2022]

Dejah as you've never seen her…in a fairy tale!

Once Upon A Time, a queen most jealous sought to destroy any woman fairer than she. And so, a beautiful woman struck out into the wilderness, desperate to evade the queen's envious wrath. The beauty would find allies in the wild, unlike any she'd ever seen before. And she made plans to return to the queen, to lay claim to the planet of Barsoom…

Comic • 40 pages • $4.99 US

[fipindustries]

Lovecraft is weird because despite his bigotry, he read ancient Egyptian and Greek history extensively as a child and teenager, and consequently had a bizarrely good sense of how empires rise and fall. "At the Mountains of Madness" is a great example of this.

speaking of lovecraft! i want to share yet another beautiful poem i found written by him.

Nathicana It was in the pale garden of Zaïs; The mist-shrouded gardens of Zaïs, Where blossoms the white nephalotë, The redolent herald of midnight. There slumber the still lakes of crystal, And streamlets that flow without murm’ring; Smooth streamlets from caverns of Kathos Where brood the calm spirits of twilight. And over the lakes and the streamlets Are bridges of pure alabaster, White bridges all cunningly carven With figures of fairies and daemons. Here glimmer strange suns and strange planets, And strange is the crescent Banapis That sets ’yond the ivy-grown ramparts Where thickens the dust of the evening. Here fall the white vapours of Yabon; And here in the swirl of vapours I saw the divine Nathicana; The garlanded, white Nathicana; The slender, black-hair’d Nathicana; The sloe-ey’d, red-lipp’d Nathicana; The silver-voic’d, sweet Nathicana; The pale-rob’d, belov’d Nathicana. And ever was she my belovèd, From ages when Time was unfashion’d; From days when the stars were not fashion’d Nor any thing fashion’d but Yabon. And here dwelt we ever and ever, The innocent children of Zaïs, At peace in the paths and the arbours, White-crown’d with the blest nephalotë. How oft would we float in the twilight O’er flow’r-cover’d pastures and hillsides All white with the lowly astalthon; The lowly yet lovely astalthon, And dream in a world made of dreaming The dreams that are fairer than Aidenn; Bright dreams that are truer than reason! So dream’d and so lov’d we thro’ ages, Till came the curs’d season of Dzannin; The daemon-damn’d season of Dzannin; When red shone the suns and the planets, And red gleamed the crescent Banapis, And red fell the vapours of Yabon. Then redden’d the blossoms and streamlets And lakes that lay under the bridges, And even the calm alabaster Glow’d pink with uncanny reflections Till all the carv’d fairies and daemons Leer’d redly from the backgrounds of shadow. Now redden’d my vision, and madly I strove to peer thro’ the dense curtain And glimpse the divine Nathicana; The pure, ever-pale Nathicana; The lov’d, the unchang’d Nathicana. But vortex on vortex of madness Beclouded my labouring vision; My damnable, reddening vision That built a new world for my seeing; A new world of redness and darkness, A horrible coma call’d living. So now in this coma call’d living I view the bright phantons of beauty; The false, hollow phantoms of beauty That cloak all the evils of Dzannin. I view them with infinite longing, So like do they seem to my lov’d one; So shapely and fair like my lov’d one; Yet foul from their eyes shines their evil; Their cruel and pitiless evil, More evil than Thaphron and Latgoz, Twice ill for its gorgeous concealment. And only in slumbers of midnight Appears the lost maid Nathicana, The pallid, the pure Nathicana, Who fades at the glance of the dreamer. Again and again do I seek her; I woo with deep draughts of Plathotis, Deep draughts brew’d in wine of Astarte And strengthen’d with tears of long weeping. I yearn for the gardens of Zaïs; The lovely lost garden of Zaïs Where blossoms the white nephalotë, The redolent herald of midnight. The last potent draught I am brewing; A draught that the daemons delight in; A draught that will banish the redness; The horrible coma call’d living. Soon, soon, if I fail not in brewing, The redness and madness will vanish, And deep in the worm-peopled darkness Will rot the base chains that hav bound me. Once more shall the gardens of Zaïs Dawn white on my long-tortur’d vision, And there midst the vapours of Yabon Will stand the divine Nathicana; The deathless, restor’d Nathicana Whose like is not met with in living.

i swear this guy might end up becoming my favourite poet, every poem i read from him is an absolute banger. as is his typical fashion he wrote this poem to satirize a style of poetry he found to be silly and in doing so ended up writing one the definitive masterpieces of the genre.

[h3lfaerie]

Im curious if FMC is a fae. Would she have wings like other fae depictions ???

Traditionally, faeries are depicted with a wide variety of features.

And accounts of their appearance greatly vary depending on the region the beliefs have come from.

Keep in mind Irish, Scandinavian, Nordic and Celtic folklore may have common roots but they are all vastly different.

And in some instances the word 'Fae' can be used interchangeably with the word 'Elf' and/or as an umbrella term used to refer to a group of species belonging to the same family (the same way tigers, lions, and house cats are all objectively different but are also all felines).

-> For example, there are The Huldufólk or The Hidden People who are a race of elves that originate from Icelandic/Faroese Folklore. They behave much like humans and bear a strong resemblance to us, but they are also noteworthy for their natural ability to make themselves invisible at will.

(Engraving of a man jumping after a female elf into a precipice.)

-> In traditional Norse Mythology, you have the Álfar. The Ljósálfar ("Light Elves") and the Dökkálfar ("Dark Elves") who are two contrasting types of elves; the dark elves dwell within the earth and have a dark complexion, while the light elves live in Álfheimr (Alfheim), and are "fairer than the sun to look at". They are both attested in the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson, and in the late Old Norse poem Hrafnagaldr Óðins.

(“Oberon, Titania and Puck with Fairies Dancing” illustration by William Blake, c. 1786)

(“Älvalek” or “Elf Play” although the museum lists it as “Dancing Fairies” - oil painting by August Malmström 1866)

-> In Irish folklore, The Tuatha Dé Danann (meaning "the folk of the goddess Danu") are also known by the earlier name Tuath Dé ("tribe of the gods"), because in some beliefs the Fae are Demoted Pagan Deities. They are described as a supernatural race, much like idealized humans, who are immune from ageing and sickness, and bear the ability to wield magic. The powers most often attributed to the Tuath Dé are control over the weather and the elements, and the ability to shapeshift.

(The Tuatha Dé Danann as depicted in John Duncan's Riders of the Sidhe - 1911)

So all in all, in folklore, faeries actually rarely have wings, but they are often depicted with them in Victorian and later artworks.

(A portrait of a fairy, by Sophie Gengembre Anderson - 1869. The title of the painting is Take the Fair Face of Woman, and Gently Suspending, With Butterflies, Flowers, and Jewels Attending, Thus Your Fairy is Made of Most Beautiful Things – from a verse by Charles Ede.)

What I've noticed is that, in the traditional sense, fairies often fly using magic, or by perching on the backs of birds, ragwort stems, or other mythological creatures like dragons or gryphons.

And some depictions are vague enough to attest a certain attribute (like wings) as a creative liberty to a faerie that, say 'lives in the sky'.

But does that mean the Fae in early folklore do not have wings at all?

Absolutely not.

You see, thus far, I've only listed depictions of the Fae that are most reminiscent of the traditional Elf. But have you ever heard of Leprechauns... Banshees... Changelings...Pixies... Mermaids...

Sprites, Goblins, Gnomes?

The freaking Headless Horseman?

Because they're all also faeries.

There are also faerie animals. Kelpies, anyone?

And quite frankly, it is not possible for me to summarize the scope, the depth and the richness of the cultures depicting these creatures with all of their variants. There are Eastern cultures, Western cultures, Indigenous cultures; I'm Bulgarian and my own culture has beliefs about faeries and Fae-like beings (the Slavs are a whole different ball game when it comes to that).

People dedicate their entire lives to become Folklorists and will still barely scratch the surface. All in all, there's just not one set of rules for the Fae, we can't amalgamize them into one thing, that's just not how it rolls.

So what can I say about my depiction of the Fae in Path of Alfheim?

Well...

I have a ton of variety to play around with. 😁

My understanding is that the Fae all vary from each other depending on their lineage, their upbringing, their alignment, the territories and/or 'realms' that they inhabit. There are so many species out there that every shape and form you can possibly think of likely exists.

And besides the faeries that live on land, there are also lake folk, sea folk, mountain folk, valley folk, air folk, a specific corner of the room at night folk.

They can be spirits, ghosts, animals, monsters, elementals, demons, demoted angels, deities, human... It goes on.

Something that hugely inspired me, and what I think is a beautiful depiction of the Fae, happens to be the Disney Maleficent duology with Angelina Jolie as the main female lead. The staple here is that they had Holly Black, a New York Times best-selling author of over thirty fantasy novels (The Cruel Prince being one of them) and a Faerie Folklorist, on set.

And, oh, would you look at that?

Maleficent has wings. 😉

So whether the FMC does as well is up to the interpretation.... for now.

Thank you for the Ask, Anon! ❤️

[charm-u-laterarchive]

MY SILLIES ɞ˚‧｡⋆𓍢ִ໋🎀

Take A Look At My Carrd For More Info About Me!! Find It In My Pinned ♡

(A ton OC info under the cut)

HERE'S INFO ABOUT EVERYONE!!! Going In Order From Left To Right 😋 Also Pricilla Isnt Mine Shes My Girlfriend's!!! @puppistars

Elsie Swanson

☆Daughter of the girl (unnamed sister) in 'The Six Swans'

☆Pansexual + Trans (She/her) // Royal w/ Rebel ideals (ex. Briar)

☆Pet muntjac deer, named Mirabella

☆Cursed to be mute until her story is complete, she uses an AAC tablet to communicate

☆Ever is her ex, but they still get along

☆She's Student Crowncil treasurer

☆Her BFFAs are Cedar, Fiore, Pricilla, and Ever

☆She's friends with Rosabella, Darling, Lizzie, and Cerise

☆She loves history and art!! In her free time she weaves her own lace, crochets, and sews

She often makes lace for Lizzies designs, so she can get exactly what she's looking for

☆She was my first OC!! Her main references were from Ashlynn so they look pretty similar- She's still in the redesign process to move more away from that but for now shes cute :D

Ever Charming

☆A Charming destined to be the prince in 'Fairer than a Fairy'

☆Bisexual (He/him) // Rebel

☆Pet otter, named Storm

☆His magic touch is looking through relective surfaces to see the other side, whoever is on the other end cannot see or hear him

☆Elsie is his ex, but they still get along

Has never been with Fiore and has no interest in her outside of friendship

☆He doesn't like extracurriculars, but he'll occasionally be found helping Student Crowncil for Elsie

☆His BFFAs are Elsie, Sparrow, and Melody

☆He's friends with Pricilla, Fiore, Raven, and Cerise

☆He's like. Kind of insufferable

"Thats not even REAL music" "Can you even name 5 songs????"

Do NOT engage with him in a record shop

☆My most recent OC!!! I Hate Him!!!!! /pos Hes a gross little emo boy and I wanna shake him around violently (lovingly) I referenced Dexter as well as a lotttt of Pinterest photos of random emo and hipster boys

Pricilla Paonne

☆Daughter of Princess Rosette from 'Princess Rosette'

☆Sapphic (She/her) // Rebel

☆Pet toy poodle, named Princeton

She dresses him up with little bows

☆Allergic to Peacocks, she only likes them for the aesthetics

☆Her younger sister will be taking over her destiny in her place

☆Dating Fiore

☆She's a cheerleader on Feybelle's team

☆Lana Del Fey's #1 fan on Spotify (Spotifairy?)

☆She has a secret Lana Del Fey tumblr

☆Will get into heated arguments with Ever about "real music"

☆My girlfriend's OC :) I dragged her in,,, (Hi Keiran :D)

Fiore Fairest

☆Daughter of Fairer than a Fairy (the princess) from 'Fairer than a Fairy'

☆Lesbian (She/her) // Royal w/ Rebel ideals (ex. Maddie or Cedar)

☆Pet dog named Barcus, and pet cat named Keanu (pets given for her story)

☆Her magic touch is sending messages through reflective surfaces, although she can't see what's on the other side

☆Dating Pricilla

☆She's one of the Dragon Games players

☆Her BFFAs are Elsie, Darling, and Rosabella

☆She's friends with Ever, Raven, and Cerise

☆She loves her hero classes, training is one of her favorite activities and she spends a lot of free time working out

☆She's a good leader and very confident, but she can also be bossy and judgemental

☆My 2nd OC!! She's based mostly on the Dragon Games line, as well as tiny references to Darling and Holly

[harocat]

WIP Wednesday with post-series Dongfang Qingcang and Xiao Lanhua, in a confrontation with Yunzhong.

--------------------------

“We have been at peace for five hundred years in my absence,” he spoke, measured and firm. 

Next to him, and between him and Yunzhong, Xiao Lanhua sat. She had her arms crossed in her lap, and she looked every bit the regal goddess she had become. In this role, with her pure white gown and her golden laurels, Xiao Lanhua was composed and resolute, but she lacked the coldness of when she had been pretending to not be herself. In this setting, she was not the silly, playful, Xiao Lanhua he knew her to be in private, but she was still very much the woman Dongfang Qingcang had grown to love; brave, kind, and beautiful. 

“Indeed,” Yunzhong replied, and his voice betrayed nothing. 

Dongfang Qingcang took a deep breath and spoke again. “There is still one very important thing to do.” There was silence for a moment before he continued. “In my absence, during the thousands of years I was in the Haotian Tower, your soldiers of Shuiyuntian stole, invaded, and pillaged the lands of Cangyan Sea. Your people crowd the lands that belong to us, and the mines that you’ve built plunder our resources.” 

Yunzhong’s mouth twitched, and one hand gripped the side of his throne. “What are you asking of me, Moon Supreme?” he began. “Shuiyuntian is well established in those lands. Our economy relies on them.” 

Dongfang Qingcang rolled his eyes, but it was so slight that only Xiao Lanhua noticed it. “And what of the people of Cangyan Sea? Should we merely accept this? When Yannv crossed the Oblivion River, she declared that empty land to be ours. You have no claim to it.” 

“Moon Supreme, you must be reasonable. It has been a long time since—”

“Who is not being reasonable here?” he snapped, and perhaps a bit of glazed fire flashed in his eyes. Yunzhong was not sure.  “I am not so cruel as to banish your people, as you did mine. They may remain, but they will do so as people of Cangyan Sea. As for your mines? The ones that are not harmful to our land can stay open, and if you are cooperative, perhaps we will be able to come to an agreement that is beneficial to both of us regarding them.” 

The fairy emperor looked to his officials, who remained silent in deference to him. “Is this the fairest approach, truly?” 

“Your Highness,” a third voice cut in, and it was Xiao Lanhua, the goddess of Xishan. “What is fairer than returning something that has been stolen?” 

“We fought for those–”

“THEY WERE NEVER YOURS TO FIGHT FOR,” Dongfang Qingcang shouted, and this time, his eyes definitely flashed red. Yunzhong gripped his throne again, his knuckles white.

[rafent]

a tentative ,  exploratory kiss between friends . ( our turn to get u 🫵 )

Royalty come in form of a Gradlon prince entailed more red than gold, wretches over riches, a funereal and comfortless upbringing without the luxuries of their sapien counterparts. Only one throne and thousands of siblings that would butcher and trample each other to reach it. Rafal for courtesy toward Dorothea - of alleged 'fairer' sex by the human values of her race - took care to express these important distinctions in less. . .morbid terms.

"I am a prince, yes, but a prince in my kingdom means not what you think. In many ways, my prospects of a cushy life would be worse off than any human commoner. By another example—" Like so, friendly conversation passed under candlelight. Like so, friendly conversation flipped eventually to over-friendly suggestion; that a prince like Rafal no matter how disparate from those of great wealth or dashing fairy tale should provide himself as 'training partner' in event of Dorothea's future prospects. Or perhaps it were just a natural development between friends who found one another fetching. Who could say once they'd crossed the line?

Rafal was never one to fear, and even if he did, he masked that fear with initiative. Pressing his lips lightly to Dorothea's, his thumb and forefinger held her throat in loose pinch. Not quite a grip, and only scarcely a touch. Telltale to an unversed dragon who knew not where to put his hands, until eventually that grip shifted to her cheek - a fan of fingers to cup warm porcelain. As warm as his own.

Light advanced to heavy, minutes felt as aeons, the stiffness of the initial stage melting into something comfortable. Fingers in hair, his in hers or hers in his, as he rumbled with pleasure between them. More purr than groan against her mouth.

Then all of it stopped. "—That will be all." Like the chime of class bell, a finishing flourish of ink on the page; or a necessary halt before chaos spilled from the containment they'd set. His hot cheekbones were willed to cool, failing where the voice succeeded. "You are a natural, so far as I can infer. If you should exercise your charms on princes of other kinds, Dorothea, I am certain they would be beguiled."

As beguiled as Rafal had been for their pocket of shared time? Certainly.

[leatherbookmark]

ALSO a bit on that topic and partially inspired by lise’s essay from yesterday -- jl.

the quote:

The smile had been so kind, so genuine that Jin Ling couldn’t believe Jin Guangyao had faked it. All of a sudden, fresh tears fell from his eyes.

Jin Ling had always thought that crying was a sign of weakness, and had treated it with contempt. Yet, other than this flood of tears, there was no way to release all the pain and anger in his heart.

He didn’t know why, but he felt like he couldn’t hate or blame anyone. Wei Wuxian, Jin Guangyao, Wen Ning — Each of them was responsible in some way for the deaths of his parents, and each of them had given him a reason to loathe them. But it also seemed like each of them had left him unable to do so. But if he didn’t hate them, who could he hate? Had he deserved to lose his parents? Was he not only unable to seek revenge, but also unable to simply hate anyone?

He somehow didn’t want to let go. He felt wronged. He felt like he’d rather die together with them and end everything.

Watching him cry soundlessly as he stared at the coffin, Sect Leader Yao asked,

“Jin-gongzi, why are you crying? For Jin Guangyao?”

When Jin Ling said nothing, Sect Leader Yao spoke as a senior scolding a junior.

“What are you crying for? Hold back your tears. Someone like your uncle doesn’t deserve anyone’s tears. Jin-gongzi, I mean no offense, but you can’t be so weak! This sentimentality is more suitable to the fairer sex. You should know what’s right and what’s wrong, and straighten up your…”

(...)

Jin Ling had thousands of thoughts and feelings whirling inside him already. Hearing Sect Leader Yao’s remarks, a fire surged in his heart.

He shouted, “So what if I want to cry?! Who are you? What are you? You won’t leave me alone even when I’m crying?!”

(chapter 110, EXR)

what does this scene mean, and why is it here?

i, personally, love it. jl says (well, thinks) it himself -- he has all the reasons to hate wwx, wn and jgy and blame them for the deaths of his parents. note that this is after he finds out about jgy’s involvement! he could easily go “i used to hate wn and wwx as the villains who killed my parents and love jgy as the uncle who gave me fairy, but now i see i had it all wrong and i should love them and hate him instead”. he doesn’t do that though. he still groups them all together, still grapples with anger, pain and hatred, and still finds that he can’t hate any of them.

and he struggles with it! he really does, to the point of bursting into tears. this is not just jc’s fault, before anyone tries anything -- the entire world jianghu seems to be into the idea that every bad thing that happens has a Bad Person who caused it and needs to be punished and reviled. first it was wrh, then wwx, now jgy. and later probably someone else. but here, jl learns a (very painful) lesson -- sometimes things aren’t so easy as “X is 100% bad”, or even “X is 75% bad, but even that is enough to condemn them”, OR even “X is 67% bad, but being 1/3rd Good they should have known better and GROW BETTER”.

sometimes people are people.

so what does this scene tell us about jgy? well, sect leader yao hurries with an explanation: jl shouldn’t cry, jgy isn’t worth it, and in fact, crying is for pussies; real men know what’s right and what’s wrong, and-- wait, no? is that not what we’re supposed to think? why is jin ling shouting at this kind senior who kindly offers advice?

well, perhaps because sect leader yao isn’t the best source there is.

but really -- that’s the question: is jl wrong, and sly right? is jl wrong to see Nuance in people, to realize that life is not as easy as finding a villain to blame, avenging your family and basking in the glow of satisfaction? or is he a manipulated victim who can’t see how horrible their abuser was, even when faced with proof of it all?

this is perhaps the last scene “featuring” jgy, not counting the one with people talking in the inn in the last chapter. in the previous chapter, wwx lays it all out in front of lwj, lxc and nhs: the explanation of what jgy wanted to do in the temple, the possible reason why he organized the burial mounds party. that’s it, that’s the end, we don’t really need anything more. if anything, it could be jc to lead the narration pov, looking at jl with fairy and thinking about this man who gave his nephew a puppy and turned out to have been a monster all this time. this, again, doesn’t happen.

[fairytalearista]

8 and 9 for the fairy tale ask game?

8. Fairy tale that you've yet to read a satisfying retelling of.

Okay, so I'm going to say that to qualify for this one, I need to have read at least two retellings that I was not satisfied by. (Because otherwise, I don't have a large enough sample size.) BUT, thing is, I've read a lot of retellings of most fairy tales, and I have a pretty low bar for what I consider a satisfying tale, (It needs to do something interesting with the tale, honor the original, and not leave me frustrated at the conclusion, whether it be because it twisted the fairy tale too far and created a plot hole, it drug too much in the middle, or if the romance was problematic), so ... most fairy tales I have read, there's at least one retelling I consider satisifying.

I think I'm going to go with The Light Princess, which is a longer fairy tale by George MacDonald, that's a lighthearted tale that comes out of left field with an incredibly profound allegory at its conclusion. And while I have read two retellings of it (Fly by H.D. Knightley and The Light Princess by Jenni James), and I enjoyed both, I don't think either captured the heart of that story. It's a very Christian tale, and neither retelling had that deeper meaning.

9. Fairy tale you love but have never found a retelling for.

Fairer-than-a-Fairy. Now, I have snuck bits of the story into three retellings of my own, but I have as yet to see anyone else do anything with it. AND I DON'T KNOW WHY. It's like East of the Sun, West of the Moon, but with the heroine falling in love with a fellow prisoner, rather than her captor, and it has SO much plot to play with, with so much weird iconography, it really deserves more attention. Like, it deserves to be the next break-out fairy tale. Too many people are sleeping on this story.

[in-flvx]

Myth

@wolfstarmicrofic

Remus always loved stories. Adventures, wild myths, great legends.

But even as a young boy, he learned that it was very different to read about them then to live them.

Who didn't love fairy tales about dangerous men, who turned into wolves when the moon called them, haunting the lands?

At the age of four, Remus learned that being a werewolf wasn't as romantic as he envisioned it.

What young boy doesn't wish for magic powers, to conquer the world with?

Remus learns at the age of 11 that the magic inherent in him is hard to focus, and sometimes even harder to use. That he needs to work for that daily.

What young boy doesn't dream of fighting a war, to prove his worth to the world?

At age 17, Remus learns that the war is not as romantic. Not when your own life and those of everyone he loves are on the line.

And what young boy doesn't dream of love? Of giving his heart and getting one in return? To fight all odds and be rewarded with a lover?

At age 18, Remus learns that that's a myth as well. His heart belongs to no maiden, but a boy fairer than any girl could be. Belonged to him for longer than Remus can think. To sirius, who is brave, a warrior in his own right. Fierce and loyal to all those he loves.

But at the age of 18, Remus learns that while his love is romantic, Sirius loves him as a brother, and that myths are just too good to be true.

[dragonskept]

princess fiona faireway: rachel hurd-wood.

having just escaped the tower + searching for a cure: emily carey.

reclaiming her title as princess: olivia cooke.

queen fiona faireway: kate winslet.

due to both her curse and sheltered upbringing, fiona has always fitted an appearance deeming her much younger than her actual age. having not properly felt the sun on her skin until she was twenty four, left her untouched by wrinkles and fast aging. practically living in the shadows, her only source of light being the occasional horizon seen through the blinding smoke of lava, and the flame torches in her room. she also had an extensive skin care routine [eagerly taught and provided by fairy godmother] each and every day up until leaving the tower: she'd been taught her whole life that appearance is everything. in addition to this, the curse, while making her ugly in the night, enhanced her human appearance; skin turned far softer and fairer. to provoke the dread further: making fiona long even more so for her 'beautiful' side, as it's severely amplified. as an ogre she ages naturally, but since her curse was never broken, her human skin is quite youthful and unblemished, despite the scars obtained over the years.

[pippastrelle]

Disney's Wish prediction: it's a secret Snow White story.

A self-absorbed ruler becomes threatened by a girl friend to animals and fairer than they. (But this time, as in fair ruling). They drive the girl out, maybe after being hunted and let go by the ruler's forces, where they meet 7 distinct people sympathetic to the girl's plight.

If that's the case, that's clever. Actually twisting a classic fairy tale to explore new contexts and new aspects.

[nfcomics]

DEJAH THORIS: FAIRY TALES no.1 • cover art • Soo Lee [Aug 2022]

Dejah as you've never seen her…in a fairy tale!

Once Upon A Time, a queen most jealous sought to destroy any woman fairer than she. And so, a beautiful woman struck out into the wilderness, desperate to evade the queen's envious wrath. The beauty would find allies in the wild, unlike any she'd ever seen before. And she made plans to return to the queen, to lay claim to the planet of Barsoom…

Comic • 40 pages • $4.99 US